Physical abuse is rarely hard to define or recognize. When spiritual abuse is present, on the other hand, it can be extremely difficult to figure out what is really going on, even when the pain of it is extreme. So let’s define spiritual abuse, shine a clear light on it and bring it out of hiding. Years ago, a revered (now retired) counsellor, Ed McCormack helped me come up with this definition:Whenever a true principle is taught without the Spirit, implemented with coercion, or used to diminish Read More.

Think for a minute: What’s your greatest aspiration? Maybe you want to start your own business, or find a way to make a difference in the world. No matter what your professional or personal goals, many high achievers have certain traits in common. One trait that can drive you to succeed—but can also work against you—is perfectionism.According to Gordon Flett, a professor of psychology in the Faculty of Health at York University who has done research on perfectionism and health, recent studies Read More.

Maybe we all feel a little powerless when we are children. I certainly did. I wasn’t always sure I would get what I “needed.” My survival instincts kicked in often. Anytime I discovered that there were potato chips in the house, I would liberate many of them for my own purposes. I emptied unsuspecting Jello packets into my digestive system. I knew that Mom wouldn’t approve. But I figured I might not get any if I didn’t take the chips/Jello into my own hands.I also teased my sibs. It didn’t occur Read More.

“Flirting with my honey can be so much fun! It’s been really helpful to me in cultivating my own sexual feelings towards him. I used to hate it when he’d try to flirt with me or be sexual toward me in any way outside the bedroom. But all that has thankfully changed. It has become a frequent joke for me to say, ‘Hey babe, you wanna get lucky?!’ I especially love to say this to him when there is no chance of follow through…just to torment him…like on the way to church or right after we’ve already Read More.

The following comes from Wallace Goddard’s new series, Discoveries: Essential Truths for Relationships. To see the previous article in the series, click here. I remember as a child feeling very frightened by all the talk of nuclear war. Bomb shelters. Food storage. Mushroom clouds. I even remember being so unsettled one evening that I asked my parents if I could sleep on the floor in their room. I worried a lot.Fear may be the defining emotion of our time. Aided and abetted by mass media, that Read More.